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Mezco Cryptozoology Toy Series
These figures were delayed before being released in 2003.They are currently not available for sale, though can still be purchased via Amazon and Ebay. The series was made up of Bigfoot, Jersey Devil, Mothman, and a Lake Monster, which was not released. 1.) Jersey Devil The Jersey Devil figure is the first of the lot, and it's a finely detailed toy considering its relatively small size. After seeing the large prototypes for these at New York's Toy Fair last year, it was a bit of a surprise for me to see these 4-inch versions. But after the initial shock, I quickly took to these little guys, and particularly the Jersey Devil, which has seemingly lost none of its detail in the sizing-down that has occurred. He's an evil-looking fellow, red-skinned and hooven, with spindly wings and long, thin claws. The Devil also sports a pair of horns and an equine-esqe scowl that'll give you nightmares. For those who are not familiar with the Jersey Devil, Mezco helpfully offers a bio on the back of the figure packaging. Here we learn that the creature's origins were in Pine Barrens, New Jersey; that the first sighting of him was in the mid-1800s but that folklore regarding the Devil dates back to 1735; and that, according to early legends, his appearances have come before shipwrecks and the outbreak of war. This bio, as well as those for the other figures, can be cut out to form a trading card of sorts. 2.) Bigfoot figure will need no introduction, of course. Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, as he is more formally known, is a denizen of North America whose first sighting dates back to the early-1800s. Furthermore, according to Mezco's bio, he is a large, hairy, bipedal creature with footprints that measure up to 24 inches in length! "Is he an ancient link between man and ape?" asks the copy on the package. "Is he an undiscovered primate?" And while this bio neglects to mention Bigfoot's run-ins with the Bionic Man, the toy itself is well done. While the figure's size is not much bigger than the Jersey Devil, he nonetheless does appear to be a hulking creature, with long, brown, furry, clawed arms dangling at his side, huge feet (appropriately enough), and a serious, yet somehow benevolent, gaze on his face. The figure also comes with a rather large footprint accessory. 3.) The Mothman figure in the series is the Mothman, who is perhaps best known from the Richard Gere thriller THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES. Of course, this version of the legendary creature from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, has very little to do with that movie aside from being based on the same folklore. First sighted in 1966, according to the figure's bio, the Mothman may be the result of a centuries-old native american curse, or perhaps it's an extra-terrestrial. The only thing that's certain is that it's the weakest of the figures in this toy line. Sporting bulging red eyes with black pupils that look like flowers for some reason, this Mothman figure brings down the rest of the collection. There's something off about his look, a grayish, translucent bug's body that sports huge, equally translucent wings. Perhaps it's the very nature of trying to create see-through material out of plasticit always winds up just looking exactly like plastic. But that, combined with a relatively uninspired design, and one that really could have gone anywhere considering how little we know of the Mothman's appearance, adds up to a fairly unimpressive toy. 4.) The Loch Ness Monster this a cool little collection, and one that's ideal for those who are burnt out on franchise toy tie-ins. A fourth figure (not available for review) is an 18-inch deluxe Loch Ness Monster creation that looks to cap off this series in excellent, grossly monstrous, manner. Category:Media Category:Toys Category:Cryptid Wiki